The present invention relates generally to multimedia networks and more particularly to a system, method and apparatus for automatically distributing multimedia calls.
Without limiting the scope of the present invention, this background of the present invention is described in connection with automatic call distributor (xe2x80x9cACDxe2x80x9d) systems used in multimedia communication networks.
ACD systems are well known in audio communication networks. Typically, these ACD systems are used in call centers to connect a customer, who has placed an audio telephone call to the call center over a public switched telephone network (xe2x80x9cPSTNxe2x80x9d), to an operator or agent within a private branch exchange (xe2x80x9cPBXxe2x80x9d) in the call center. The ACD controls the PBX to automatically and efficiently distribute the incoming calls to the available operators.
More recently, attempts have been made to incorporate ACD systems in multimedia or audio/visual networks. These multimedia ACD systems often require separate switches for audio and video, high performance local area network (xe2x80x9cLANxe2x80x9d) architectures, or use compressed video transmissions. Moreover, these multimedia ACD system are typically limited to incoming multimedia calls using a single communication protocol, cannot use existing unshielded twisted pair (xe2x80x9cUTPxe2x80x9d) wiring, or cannot transfer an incoming multimedia call more than once. As a result, inexpensive and less complex multimedia ACD systems are very limited and versatile multimedia ACD systems are expensive and very complex.
The present invention provides a computer program and method for automatically distributing a multimedia call received from an originating end point. The present invention routes the multimedia call to a multimedia source using a multimedia switch. Thereafter, the present invention determines whether to transfer the multimedia call from the multimedia source to a destination end point using an automatic call distributor. When the automatic call distributor determines that the multimedia call is to be transferred, present invention transfers the multimedia call from the multimedia source to the destination end point using the multimedia switch.
In addition, the present invention provides a computer program and method that determines whether the multimedia call has been connected to a multimedia source for a minimum time period. The present invention selects a destination end point and determines whether the selected destination end point is available. When the multimedia call has been connected to the multimedia source for the minimum time period or longer, and the selected destination end point is available, the present invention instructs a multimedia switch to transfer the multimedia call from the multimedia source to the selected destination end point.
The present invention also provides a system for automatically distributing a multimedia call received from a originating end point via a network. The system comprises one or more codecs, one or more multimedia sources, one or more destination end points, and an automatic call distributor, all of which are connected to a multimedia switch. The one or more codecs are also connected to the network. The automatic call distributor determines whether to transfer the multimedia call from one of the multimedia sources to one of the destination end points.
Other features and advantages of the present invention shall be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.